Reader comments

Apple is losing its hip...!

Really? When I look at Samsung or any other Asian OEM, I don't think cool. They seem cheap, and gimicie. You don't see Apple showing off there phones with underage Asian girls holding them. Because Apple is cool. It has been from the beginning, and will be for a long time to come.

That Apple is becoming less cool doesn't mean that the coolness is transferring over to Samsung. Samsung's products are the opposite of cool. But I still prefer Samsung as long as Apple cannot offer something similar to the Galaxy Note II.

Thanks for stopping by. Based off your profile picture, profile bio, and this moronic comment I'd say you acting like a scared android fan. Btw I've seen just as many moms and celebrities with Galaxy S 3s of late.

My dad is in his 70s and refuses to use an iPhone. He has a GS3. On the other hand my brothers, my wife and my brothers wife's all use iPhones, and we are younger. I mostly see older people, or lower income people with androids where I live.

To be fair, you could argue Keegan was correct - the original iPods did start to lose its caché around 2006 - Apple simply recognized this and got out in front of any trend with the iOS-based iPod Touch in 2007, making sure that they, and not a competitor, cannibalized the old iPod's share.

I agree with that. However, unlike some companies that would stubbornly ride a product into the ground, terrified to "hurt" their existing business, Apple went to the iPhone and then iPad. They're one of the few companies of their era that haven't mistaken their product for their business.

iPhone is still a fantastic and growing business, but it will also end one day. What intersects its downward trend with a new, upward one?

That part I disagree with. The iPod was never superseded in the market, nor did it ever become uncool. Demand simply moved from unitaskers to multitaskers -- convergent devices that were iPods but more than iPods. Arguably Apple sells more iPods than ever before, they're simply software apps on new, more capable hardware.

That difference also means the punchline might be off-base, that the iPhone faces competition the iPod never did (from outside Apple rather than inside). But it does highlight, and why I chose to link to it, the cyclical nature of criticism.

Apple is always doomed.

It's the tech version of "kids these days" being traced back to ancient philosophers.

You disagree, because you insist on reading something extra into the analyst's statements. Keegan did not say "Apple is doomed" generally -- at most, he said that "Apple faces hard times because the current iPod is doomed." There is a HUGE difference between those two statements, and mocking him for saying #1 is dirty pool.

He was wrong, obviously, but not in his analysis of the mp3 market -- where he failed is not knowing that Apple had already come to the same conclusion. Apple knew the the "unitasking" music player market was in danger of becoming a red ocean, and was poised to release a product - the iPod Touch - to change the game entirely. (A turnabout for which Apple does not get nearly enough praise.) Today's doomsayers may simply be thinking the phone market has caught up enough that Apple needs a similar reinvention.

If so, I hope they not only listen, but they again thought of it first. It may play a more comforting narrative to dismiss these opinions as a cyclical parrotting of "Apple is doomed," but that is the way of corporate laziness and complacency. Apple saved their and enhanced their music market not by dismissing pessimists, but by being pessimistic themselves, and ruthlessly innovating, even killing/severely wounding one of their own markets, in the service of greater goals.

Analysts like Keegan make failed predictions not because they hate Apple, but because they underestimate that ruthlessness. When a market reaches a dangerous point, they think Apple as a manufacturer content to ride a buggy whip business to oblivion, whereas from the Apple II through the iPod Classic, Apple has shown admirable willingness to slit even their most successful products' throats if they thought he future pointed a different way.

In mockingly dismissing Apple's critics, you ironically are not giving Apple nearly the credit they deserve.

Sources said that apple is less popular with teenagers so it would be fair to say it isn't as cool anymore. But it is still a great OS. And if someone is buying a phone based on how cool it is, then that's sad.

Lol all you iFans need a reality check as well. I see more Galaxy phones than iPhones now because everyone is starting to get bored. If Apple thinks people are still happy with the same old iOS design since day one (excluding all you Apple fanboys) then they are way over their heads. Ive been on all platforms and I could tell you that I got bored of iOS's boring grid look within a few months. But thats just me, I get bored of an outdated design very quick.

Apple, the design of the iPhone is great but its the redesign of iOS is what you need to be working on and win your old customers back. I know its what everyones been used to using since day one and don't want to risk losing some by changing it a bit but at this point in time I think iOS screams for a design overhaul along with many others who think the same thing. Ive tried to comeback with the iPhone 4s but I still ended up getting bored of the same look within 3 months then upgraded to a galaxy S3 and couldn't be happier. Dis the S3 all you guys want but that's a real seller. I'm not a fanboy its just what I think having tried out all platforms. I also think most people rock an iPhone because of its very well known brand and want to show it off. You have to admit Samsung has damaged Apple's brand pretty good with its Galaxy line now the ball is in your court. Wow us this fall with iOS 7's design and you might gain more customers than ever. People do want change judging from Samsungs impressive sales in the last 2 years. Not as great as Apple but they're almost there.

Apple also needs to be less ignorant about its hardware as well, screen size to be specific. I mean 4 inches isn't a huge step up from its 3.5 inch screen which it has been rocking since day 1. 4.5 inch would've been the sweet spot maybe 4.8 to rival the S3 which I think is perfect if you read alot, watch videos ect. I certainly don't think its too big for navigating the screen but I do agree anything over 5" is over the top. But that should be the least of Apple's worry right now as they need to focus on redesigning iOS. Maybe adding a new skin like what Samsung has done may work for the time being but lets hope something gets done about iOS within the next 2 years. Hopefully by iOS 8 things get a lot better interms of the design.

In addition to what u said, I think Apple isnt dictating what we "will" want anymore. They just spit out new products from what the market currently want. As u see, the market craved for a smaller tablet and we got the iPad Mini. The market wants a larger screen and we got the 4 inch screen.

Some interesting points, but I cant agree with a lot of them. My biggest gripe s screen size. For a PHONE 3.5" or less is ideal to carry, use and not look like someone from the 1980's. I have an ipad for anything more serious and trying to do two jobs with a phablet never works. Even the iP5 IMHO is too big (tried one) and wont fit in my belt pouch, and I saw an S3 snapped by being in someones pocket!

I have an S3 as a second phone at Xmas as CPW were selling it at silly price and I was curious to see if it was much better than my S2. It may be perfect for you but its not perfect for me by a long way. Where do I start? Build quality is shocking (even to the S2), suprinsngly as Samsung stuff is usually reasonably well build and better than LG for instance. Its too big as a main phone. The camera perfirmance in low light is poor compared to say an iP 4S (though the LED flash is brighter). Android/Touchwiz is messy and not as well thought out (stuff just bolted on here and there). I cant get half the apps I use every day and some that I can are just glorified web portals not specifically designed apps. The Amoled screen is not as easy on the eye as an ips lcd screen (and I was a big fan of oled creens when they first came out), and the battery life sucks (even with everything disabled, including 3G, and a highly rated battery manager installed).

The only really good thing about it is that I got Modern Combat 4 for 99p from the Gameloft store to carry on playing when my ipad is flat LOL.

Belt pouch...lol. Isn't that the fanny-pack of the early years of cellphones?

Touchwiz is not a fair analysis of Android because the interface is completely different. I agree, Touchwiz is messy and thrown together - however, stock Android (Jelly Bean in particular) is beautiful and fluid.

I don't know what apps you use -- but every app I use on iOS has an Android variant that is not a web portal but a dedicated program.

What I want is to see someone try and say the "Retina" is better than the higher density 1080p screen on my new Droid DNA.

To be fair...though Apple product are currently in, i think it sort of lost some edges. Nowadays, u see everyone with an iPhone. It has become a little bland when you see everyone with the same exact phone as you (same goes with the galaxy s lineup). Another thing that caught my attention after hearing a podcast from another website is that after the release BB10 this month, iOS will be the oldest UI of the available mobile OS. Android have their new UI from ICS, WP have their Metro UI, and BB got this BB10 refresh. I'm not saying that any of these OS are better than one another, but I just think iOS need a refresh in their UI to keep stuff new and fresh.

True, even Windows on PC's was replaced more often (XP sporting the longest life of a whooping 6 years). But OSX is even more insane to be still around (talk about an old school approach), to be truthful it had only three really noticeable revisions throughout it's 12 long years of life (Apple doesn't have the mercy to put down to sleep that dog).

Everyone needs to relax. The fact is that Apple invented the smartphone as we know it. I remember when the iPhone was originally announced everyone was screaming about how a touch screen phone was such a bad idea because the screen would get dirty from fingerprints! Seriously, that was a huge deal. Now, of course, all smartphones are touch displays.

Apple changed the smartphone market and created the modern smart phone, along with the tablet market, the "App market" (and no, those old apps on old phones are not even close to what apple started), the ultrabook market and more all in FIVE YEARS. No tech company or hardware company out there can come close to any of that. Apple changed everything in a few short years and now everyone is just doing what they did, which is fine, but it will take a little time for Apple to again change everything. This discussion about Apple being no longer "hip" or bing on their way out will look silly in three years. Just wait.

Yes but all with steve jobs. Steve Jobs created the company, than got fired.
Apple almoust bancrupt and then Steve came back and did his magic. Then the happle starterd to rise and shine. But now with steve gone...it is just going the wrong way

As much as I liked android back when I used it a lot, I always thought the fandroids were the worst people. Just so rude and obnoxious. I really don't understand why they have to hate on a product so much when it doesn't affect them in anyway. You rarely see hardcore apple fans going on android sites/blogs and just posting their hatred towards it. Jebus man. It's out of control. People take things too personally over a damn phone

Yeah, right! Don't think so... If that was the case then a certain Asian manufacturer wouldn't have lost a big court case for copying Apple.
I'm hoping the rumours surrounding an Apple have substance and I think we all know it will set a new standard for flat panels.

"Hip" is what advertising and peers tell you. What works is what makes life work. Apple just works. That is their objective. Apple is a software company, which most people forget. Who has an OS that is as fluid and well designed as Apple?

I just got back from the ces last week, and honestly I had phone envy. So many people there had s3 and note2. The iPhone screen looks like a price of junk in comparison. I am at the ces every year and this year far few people were using iPhones. S3 was very popular there. I was atany booths of companies that developed a new product to work on phones. Quote "it's available for android, but for iPhone, we have to wait for apple, and they are giving us a hard time.....". I heard a lot of that this year. I have an iPhone and I like it, but iPhones are really starting to get outdated.

I'm a big apple guy. apple everything i have. had the last 3 iphones as well but switched to the GS3 mainly for a larger screen. i miss the icloud and easy integration of itunes for syncing everything. but on the other hand its nice to use any pc/mac to add or more media content and not having to be on my own computer with my account on it. that a facetime but i usually have my ipad with me so its not to bad. i would be back to iphone is they had a bigger screen like the GS3. iphone 5 didnt cut it for me.